The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-21
DEFEATING DEATH.
A STORY OF PRAIRIE LIFE.


Goodbye, John; take good care Of
yourself and come back as soon as you
sen." .,
V"Good-bye, Nellie, dear. and don't
forget me while 1 am away"
Their hands warmly pressed each other
Is their lips would have done had not
Others been near. Thus they separated.
Nellie Browning watched the tall, strong
form of John hing until it was lost in
the high grass of the prairie, and with q
sigh returned to duty.
Never before had the little isolated
way station seemed 80 dull, the click OF
the telegraph instrument so monotonous.
There was literally nothing for her to do
after the customary putting to rights. "
No train would pass for hours, messages
seldom troubled her, she had exhausted
her little stock of reading. What could
she do to make the hours pass less wea-
rilyI
She rested her head upon the keyboard
and gave herself to pleasant waking
dreams, to mentally following her lover
and murmuring aloud of the pictures
thought photographed upon her heart.
1T will take John all day to inspect
the line to the little wooded island in
the middle of the prairie, and he will
have to sleep there alone in the log
cabin. l wonder if he will think of me
all the time. as I will of him2 How I
wish I could be with him.
She blushed crimson as the Indian
pin.S' that splashed the prairie as with
blood at the unmaidenly thought and en-
deavored to fix her attention upon other
things. But do what she would her
thoughts wandered to her lover, the lack
of comfort he would experience, and the
happy day when she would have the
right to be ever by his side and lie with
her head pillowed upon his broad breast
at night.
As ii the hours had become leaden-
footed they c:ept along. At noon she
listlessly ate the lunch she had brought
from her farm home; then wished night
would hurry along that she might be
with her lover at least in dreams.
Darkness did come after long and
weary waiting; her hours of duty had
ended and she was preparing to leave
when the station was called and she was
told in clicking whispers that on ac-
count of an extra that was wildcatting
she would have to remain until mid
night.
With the reverse of a pleasing ex-
preston upon her face and an almost de-
fant tossing back of her auburn curls,
she sat down again. The workmcn
about the station went home and left
her alone; the frogs croakcd mournfully
from a neighboring slough, and the wires
made music as the brisk night wind
played upon them. But the experience
was not new to her; there was nothing to
fear and her father wonld come for her
when the night was done
Eight, nine, ten passed and the silence
was becoming painful. Something must
be done. She failed to remember being
so much oppressed by the lack of society
and wondered how Robinson Crusoe
could have existed before his man Fri
day. Then she thought of female
friend who was operator at the next
westward station, and, nearly dying for
some one to talk to, summoned "Stcr-
ling"
There was no reply. Try as she would
directly she could get none, but utilizing
a circuit she was answered, and asked
sWhat is the matter with the main
line"
''Matter enough" was answered, and
her trained ear instantly told her the
touch was not of dclicately fingered
girl. but heavy-handcd man. The
prairie is all on fire bctN cen here ard
Buffalo Heart Grove, tina: is beginning
to burn and when the flame; sweep
round ON your side you'll have to look
sharp if they don't catch you mapping,
my pretty daily
At another time she would have closed
the key W tn an angry snap at the impu-
dent fam liarity. Now there was room
in lo. brain for only one maddcning
thought.
John King xas sleeping in the cabin
in the grove, would be surrounded by
fire, be stihed by smoke, be burned to
death!
"Prairie rourd Buffalo Heart Grove 8
sea Of flan.e, line down, bridges over cul'
verts probably burned. Stop all trains
at X" she managed to flash back ovcl
the wire.
Then she dashed out where all should
have been darkness but was not. Fot
miles earth and sky were Illuminated,
the roaring of the flames could be dis
tictly heard, their furious lcapings dis
tinctly traced, their speed swift or than
the grey hound ard their force rcsiStles